Multi-material golf club head

ABSTRACT

A multi-material golf club head wherein the junction between the two different components made from different materials are seamlessly incorporated within existing visual cues of a golf club head is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention adjusts the design of the bond between the two different components to reflect the needs of the golf club head at the various visual cues around the perimeter of the golf club head.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation-In-Part (CIP) of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 18/092,733, filed on Jan. 3, 2023, which is a CIPof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/725,075, filed on Apr. 20, 2022,the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a multi-material golf clubhead wherein the junction between the two different components made fromdifferent materials are seamlessly incorporated within existing visualcues of a golf club head to provide an aesthetically pleasing jointbetween the two components. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to identifying the existing visual cues of a golf club headtogether with the different bonding needs of the golf club head at thedesirable visual cue, and continuously adjusting the design of the jointbetween the two different components depending on the needs of the golfclub head at across the entire junction between the two differentcomponents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Utilizing multiple materials to design a golf club head has been aroundfor a long time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,363 to Jepson et al. illustratesone of the earliest attempts to utilize multiple materials to improvethe performance of a golf club head via the utilization of wood, metal,and plastic.

Despite all of the advantages associated with the utilization ofmaterial, two of the biggest drawbacks associated with multi-materialgolf club head are 1) the difficulties in securely joining materials towithstand the impact forces with a golf ball, and 2) preserving theaesthetics of the golf club to minimize the distractions associated withthe differing visuals of the different material.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,348 to Wargo illustrates one of the earliestexamples of utilizing threaded fasteners to secure a heavy secondarygolf club component to the main chassis of the golf club head. U.S. Pat.No. 5,385,348 to Wargo utilizes replaceable inserts that have theirweights and characteristics varied by controlling the amount andlocation of a layer of weightly material attached thereto.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,037,214 to Nakahara et al. illustrates the utilizationof a lightweight material to replace the crown portion of a golf clubvia flanges wherein the ratio of the specific gravities is equal to orsuperior to 1.3. The bond between a thin crown piece and the chassis ofthe golf club head creates a unique set of challenges, as lightweightmaterials tend not to bond well to metallic materials, and the bondusually creates a visual delineation that is undesirable visually.

Hence, based on the above, it can be seen that there is a need in theart for a multi-material golf club head that not only is capable ofachieving a secure bond between the different components, there is aneed to do it in an aesthetically pleasing way.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising of abody portion and a crown portion. The body portion further comprises astriking face, a hosel, and a portion of a sole, wherein the strikingface portion defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein the bodyportion further comprises a recess around a perimeter of the bodyportion. The crown portion wraps around a skirt of the golf club headforming at least a portion of the sole, wherein the crown portionoverlaps the body portion at the recess of the body portion; wherein aforwardmost point of the crown portion is located less than about 17.5mm away from the forwardmost vertical plane.

In another aspect of the present invention is a golf club headcomprising of a body portion and a crown portion. The body portionfurther comprises a striking face, a hosel, and a portion of a sole,wherein the striking face portion defines a forwardmost vertical plane,and wherein the body portion further comprises a recess around aperimeter of the body portion. The recess further comprises a frontalcrown recess, wherein the frontal crown recess defines a crowntransition overlap length, a rear sole recess, wherein the rear solerecess defines a rear overlap length, and a hosel portion recess,wherein the hosel portion recess defines a hosel overlap length. Thecrown portion wraps around a skirt of the golf club head forming atleast a portion of the sole, wherein the crown portion overlaps the bodyportion at the recess of the body portion, and wherein the crowntransition overlap length is greater than about 12 mm and less thanabout 25 mm.

In another aspect of the present invention is a golf club headcomprising of a body portion and a crown portion. The body portionfurther comprises a striking face, a hosel, and a portion of a sole,wherein the striking face portion defines a forwardmost vertical plane,and wherein the body portion further comprises a recess around aperimeter of the body portion. The recess further comprises a frontalcrown recess, wherein the frontal crown recess defines a crowntransition overlap length, a rear sole recess, wherein the rear solerecess defines a rear overlap length, and a hosel portion recess,wherein the hosel portion recess defines a hosel overlap length. Thecrown portion wraps around a skirt of the golf club head forming atleast a portion of the sole, wherein the crown portion overlaps the bodyportion at the recess of the body portion, and wherein the crowntransition overlap length is greater than about 12 mm and less thanabout 25 mm, wherein the rear overlap length is less than about 6.5 mm,and the hosel overlap length is greater than about 8 mm.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf clubhead including: a body portion further including; a main body chassishaving an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein saidmain body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines aforwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis furtherincludes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, an upperhosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, and a lowerhosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crownportion wrapping around a skirt of said golf club head forming at leasta portion of a sole, wherein said crown portion overlaps said bodyportion at said recess of said body portion, and wherein a forwardmostpoint of said crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away fromsaid forwardmost vertical plane.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf clubhead including: a body portion further including; a main body chassishaving an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein saidmain body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines aforwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis furtherincludes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, saidrecess further includes; a frontal crown recess, wherein said frontalcrown recess defines a crown transition overlap length, a rear solerecess, wherein said rear sole recess defines a rear overlap length, anda hosel portion recess, wherein said hosel portion recess defines ahosel overlap length, and an upper hosel component adapted to engagesaid upper hosel opening, and a lower hosel component adapted to engagesaid lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skirt ofsaid golf club head forming at least a portion of said sole, whereinsaid crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of saidbody portion, and wherein said crown transition overlap length isgreater than about 12 mm and less than about 25 mm.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf clubhead including: a body portion further including: a main body chassishaving an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein saidmain body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines aforwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis furtherincludes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, an upperhosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, a lowerhosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crownportion wrapping around a skirt of said body portion at said recess ofsaid body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf clubhead, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at saidrecess of said body portion, and wherein said crown portion overlapssaid body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein saidcrown portion is made from a first material having a first density andsaid body portion is made from a second material having a seconddensity, and wherein said first density is less than said seconddensity.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf clubhead including: a body portion further including; a main body chassishaving an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein saidmain body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines aforwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis furtherincludes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a lowerhosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crownportion wrapping around a skit of said body portion at said recess ofsaid body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf clubhead, wherein said crown portion further includes an upper hoselcomponent adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, wherein said crownportion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion,wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a firstdensity and said body portion is made from a second material having asecond density, and wherein said first density is less than said seconddensity.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf clubhead including: a body portion further including; a main body chassishaving an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein saidmain body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines aforwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis furtherincludes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a lowerhosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crownportion wrapping around a skit of said body portion at said recess ofsaid body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf clubhead, wherein said crown portion further includes an upper hosel portionadapted to engage said upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portionoverlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, whereinsaid crown portion is made from a first material having a first densityand said body portion is made from a second material having a seconddensity, wherein said first density is less than said second density,and wherein a forwardmost point of said crown portion is located lessthan about 17.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description of the invention as illustratedin the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which areincorporated herein and form a part of the specification, further serveto explain the principles of the invention and to enable a personskilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a bottom sole side perspectiveview of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows a frontal view of a golf clubhead in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings shows a heel side view of a golfclub head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings shows a toe side view of a golf clubhead in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings shows a top crown view of a priorart golf club head;

FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings shows a top crown view of a golfclub head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings shows a bottom sole view of a golfclub head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded heel side view ofa golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of agolf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, taken along cross-sectional line A-A′ shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectionalview of a golf club head highlighted by circular region A shown in FIG.9 ;

FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectionalview of a golf club head highlighted by circular region B shown in FIG.10 ;

FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view alonga different cross-sectional line allowing the hosel portion recess to beshown more clearly;

FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective viewof a golf club head in accordance with an even further alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective viewof an upper hosel component in accordance with a further alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective viewof an upper hosel component in accordance with an even furtheralternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings shows a top-down view of an upperhosel component in accordance with an even further alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective viewof a golf club head in accordance with another alternative embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 18 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective viewof an upper hosel component in accordance with another alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings shows a perspective view of anupper hosel component tip in accordance with an alternative embodimentof the present invention from a different angle; and

FIG. 20 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective viewof a golf club head in accordance with another alternative embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description describes the best currentlycontemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is notto be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope ofthe invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below, and each can be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.However, any single inventive feature may not address any or all of theproblems discussed above or may only address one of the problemsdiscussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed abovemay not be fully addressed by any of the features described below.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a perspective view of a golfclub head 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. The golf club head 100 if further separated into a bodyportion 102 and a crown portion 110. The body portion 102 furthercomprises of sub-components such as the striking face portion 104, ahosel 106, and a portion of the sole 108. The crown portion 110, inaccordance with the current embodiment, includes a crown 111 and wrapsaround a skirt 112 of the golf club head 100 to form at least a portionof the sole 108.

The body portion 102 of the golf club head 100 in accordance with thepresent invention may be formed out of a second material having adensity of roughly 4.5 g/cc, as modern day driver type golf club headsare generally made out of a titanium type material; however, numerousother material may be used to form the body portion 102 of the golf clubhead without departing from the scope and content of the presentinvention so long as it can provide the structural rigidity of the golfclub head 100. The crown portion 110 of the golf club head 100, at leastin accordance with the present invention, may generally be made out of alightweight first material such as a fiber reinforced plastic typematerial with a density of less than about 2.0 g/cc, more preferablyless than about 1.8 g/cc, and most preferably less than about 1.7 g/cc;however numerous other types of lightweight material may be used withoutdeparting from the scope and content of the present invention as long asit has a density that is less than that of the material used to form thebody portion 102.

One key feature shown in FIG. 1 that is worth highlighting is theparting line 114 between the body portion 102 and the crown portion 110.It should be noted that visually, the parting line 114 is locatedsignificantly forward on the crown 111 ledge than any other prior artgolf club head 100 incorporating multiple materials, as it follows thevisual cue of a golf club head 100 that creates a natural break betweenthe striking face portion 104 and the crown 111. Having this crownparting line 114 being located so far forward is beneficial to theperformance of a golf club head in that it eliminates the undesirablevisuals generally associated with multi-material golf club head whereinthe crown portion 110 is made from a lightweight composite typematerial. However, having the parting line 114 between the crown portion110 and the body portion 102 this far forward in the crown portion ofthe golf club head 100 comes with additional design challenges that willbe discussed below.

FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows a frontal view of a golf clubhead 200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. The frontal view of this golf club head 200 shows the bodyportion 202 forming a portion of the sole 208 and the crown portion 210forming a crown 211 and a skirt 212 of the golf club head 200. Inaddition to the above, this frontal view also allows the parting line214 to be shown more clearly, once again illustrating that the locationof the parting line 214 that separates the crown portion 210 from thesole portion 202 follows the contour of the upper edge of the strikingface 204 in the striking face plane, and transitions towards to a linethat is underneath the skirt 212 of the golf club head. Finally, thisfrontal view of the golf club head 200 shown in FIG. 2 also illustratesa cross-sectional line A-A′, to which a subsequent cross-sectional viewfigure can be provided to illustrate the bond between the crown portion210 and the body portion 202.

FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawing shows a heel side view of a golf clubhead 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Inthis view, we can once again see the main components of the crownportion 310 further comprising the crown 311 of the golf club head 300and the body portion 302 further comprising a sole 308 of the golf clubhead 300. In this heel side view of the golf club head 300 shown in FIG.3 , it can be seen that the parting line 314 falls below the skirt 312of the golf club head 300 to form a portion of the sole 308. The partingline 214 (shown in FIG. 2 ), in the frontal view shown in FIG. 2 followsthe natural visual cue of the topline of the striking face 204 (shown inFIG. 2 ), but in the side view shown here in FIG. 3 , it actuallyfollows the natural cues derived from the sole 308 graphics as it wrapsaround the skirt 312 of the golf club head 300 into the sole 308.

Although the details of the bond between the crown portion 310 and thebody portion 302 is not shown here in FIG. 3 and will be discussed inmore detail in the subsequent cross-sectional views, it is worth notingthere that the bond is generally achieved via a lap joint type of joint,wherein there is a beginning of an overlap and an end of an overlap.This key concept will be used to help define distance D1 below, asdistance D1 is critical to the present invention in providing theimproved aesthetic performance of the present invention.

In addition to the above FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings also showsanother key feature of the present invention by illustrating theforwardmost vertical plane 320. The forwardmost vertical plane 320 is aplane that is created in the x-y plane as illustrated by the coordinatesystem 301 that abuts the forwardmost portion of the golf club head 300.Often in a conventional golf club head 300 geometry, the forwardmostplane 320 abuts the leading edge of the face sole junction; however, inalternative embodiments of the present invention, the forwardmost plane320 could abut any other location in the golf club head 300 withoutdeparting from the scope and content of the present invention so long asit fits the definition above.

Once the forwardmost vertical plane 320 is established, another veryimportant distance D1 could be illustrated. Distance D1, as defined inthe present invention, relates to the distance between the forwardmostvertical plane 320 and the forwardmost point 322 of said crown portion310. In the current embodiment of the present invention, distance D1 maygenerally be less than about 17.5 mm, more preferably less than about16.5 mm, and most preferably less than about 15.5 mm. This distance D1,as previously mentioned, is critical to the proper function of thepresent invention as it allows the parting line 314 between the crownportion 310 and the body portion 302 to be shifted to an existing visualcue that already exists in a golf club head 300 such as the crowntopline transition. The ability to strategically place the parting line314 of the different components of a multi-material golf club head 300at a location that fits with an existing visual cue of a golf club head300 is beneficial to the performance of a golf club head 300 in that itminimizes visual distractions of a golf club head that can often beundesirable.

Before moving on to a discussion about the undesirable visual generallyassociated with a prior art multi-material golf club head 500 (shown inFIG. 5 ), FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings merely shows a toe sideview of a golf club head 400 in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention, allowing the parting line 414 between the crownportion 410 and the body portion 402 to be shown more clearly. Althoughthe parting line 414 shown in FIG. 4 mostly mirrors the parting line 314(shown in FIG. 3 ) due to the fact that the sole 408 is symmetrical interms of its graphics, the hosel portion of the parting line 414 isslightly different as shown in FIG. 3 due to the fact that only one sideof a golf club head 400 has a hosel.

FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings shows a top view of a prior art golfclub head 500 where no effort is made to strategically align the partingline 514 between the crown portion 510 with the body portion 502 withany existing visual cue or natural feature of the golf club head 500. Asit can be seen in FIG. 5 , the resultant golf club head 500 leaves astrange line across the crown of the golf club head 500, creating anundesirable and distracting effect that will be distracting to a golfer.

Comparing the top view of the prior art golf club head 500 shown in FIG.5 with the top view of the current inventive golf club head 600 shown inFIG. 6 , golf club head 600 provides an improved performance in thevisuals of the golf club head 600 by shifting the parting line 614 tothe frontal crown transition portion defined as the forwardmost point ofsaid crown portion 610 in FIG. 6 . It is worth noting here that despitethe best efforts to create a seamless parting line 614 that matches withan existing visual cue of a golf club head 600, the parting line 614does become more visually recognizable around the hosel 606 of the golfclub head 600; as that region of the golf club head 600 does not containany discernable visual cues that lend itself well to conceal the partingline 614. In addition to showing the improvement in the aesthetics ofthe golf club head 600 compared to prior art golf club head 500 (shownin FIG. 5 ), FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings once again shows thedistance D1, being measured from the forwardmost portion of the golfclub head 600 to the forwardmost point 622 of the crown portion, alongthe z-axis. Moreover, it can be said that the crown portion 610 forms anentirety of the crown portion of the golf club head 600 when itsproperty installed.

FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings shows a bottom sole view of a golfclub head 700 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.In this sole view of the golf club head 700 we can see that the partingline 714 follows the visual cues of the sole graphics, allowing the golfclub head 700 to create a visually seamless blend between the crownportion 710 and the body portion 702. In addition to the above, thisbottom sole view of the golf club head 700 illustrates how the crownportion 710 wraps around a skit of the golf club head 700 to form atleast a portion of the sole of the golf club head 700.

FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded view of a golfclub head 800 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.In this exploded view of the golf club head 800 shown in FIG. 8 , onecan clearly how the crown portion 810 and the body portion 802 fittogether via a lap joint as previously discussed. Although thecross-sectional view of the golf club head will provide even more detailbelow, the body portion 802 has a recess 823 around the perimeter of thebody portion 802. The recess 823, shown in FIG. 8 is generally createdto accommodate the thickness of the crown portion 810 at the variousportions around the perimeter of the body portion 802, allowing the twocomponents to bond together via a lap joint type of bond. However, inalternative embodiments of the present invention, other types of bondssuch as a butt joint, a dado joint, a rabbet joint, a dovetail joint, atongue and groove joint, or any other types of joint could be used solong as it is capable of joining the crown portion 810 to the bodyportion 802 all without departing from the scope and content of thepresent invention.

The exploded view of the golf club head 800 shown in FIG. 8 alsoillustrates another critical feature of the present invention, whereinthe distance of the overlap between the crown portion 810 with the bodyportion 802 to form said recess 823 varies across different portions ofthe golf club head 800 depending on the unique bonding requirements ateach location. Because the present invention shifts the location of theparting line around various parts of the golf club head 800 toaccommodate for visual cues inherent within a golf club head 800, thebond strength required at the various portions of the golf club head 800may be different, requiring different amount of overlap. This amount ofoverlap, generally quantified as the length of a recess 823 is generallydefined as the distance between the beginning of an overlap to the endof an overlap. For the frontal crown joint recess 823 length, thatlength is defined as the difference between the forwardmost point 822 ofthe crown portion 810 and the rearward most point 824 of the recess 823at the frontal body portion 802. For the aft rear joint recess length,that length is defined as the difference between the rearwardmost point828 of the crown portion 810 and the forwardmost point 826 of the recess823 at the rear of the body portion 802.

In order to illustrate this very important concept of creating anddefining a recess 823 via the overlap, a cross-sectional view of thegolf club head 900 is shown in FIG. 9 . This cross-sectional view of thegolf club head 900 shown in FIG. 9 is taken along cross-sectional lineA-A′ shown in FIG. 2 , down the center of the golf club head. In thiscross-sectional view of the golf club head 900 the crown portion 910 isattached to the body portion 902 via overlapping lap joints created byrecesses in the body portion 902. Circular region A and circular regionB are also highlighted in FIG. 9 , allowing enlarged views of the crownleading edge recess and the aft portion recess to be shown in moredetail in FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively, illustrating the differentdesigns used to achieve the different bonds at different portions of thegolf club head 900.

FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectionalview of circular region A shown in FIG. 9 , which reflects an enlargedcross-sectional view of a frontal crown junction point between the crownportion 1010 and the body portion 1002. Although it's been discussedbriefly in earlier discussions, the bond between the crown portion 1010and the body portion 1002 is generally achieved via an overlapping lapjoint type of bond, with the body portion 1002 forming a frontal crownrecess 1023 a to receive the crown portion 1010. The thickness of thefrontal crown recess 1023 a in accordance with the present invention maygenerally be less than about 1.0 mm, more preferably less than about 0.9mm, and most preferably less than about 0.8 mm, as crown portion 1010 istypically made from a thin lightweight composite type material. Thisthickness of the frontal crown recess 1023 a may generally be thickerthan the actual thickness of the crown portion 1010 itself, because notonly does it need to accommodate the thickness of the crown portion 1010in the range of less than about 0.8 mm, more preferably less than about0.7 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.65 mm, it also has toaccommodate approximately 0.15 mm of glue bond thickness that is notshown in FIG. 10 . In this enlarged view shown in FIG. 10 , because thebond between the crown portion 1010 and the body portion 1002 at thecrown leading edge is so close to the striking face plane, it has anincreased overlap length to accommodate for the increased stressoccurring at that portion of the golf club head. This overlap length D2,although may look like a linear length in FIG. 10 , is actually an arclength, but only appears linear due to the large radius of curvature atthis portion of the golf club head. The increased overlap length at thecrown transition, defined here as frontal crown transition overlaplength D2, may generally be greater than about 12 mm and less than about25 mm, more preferably greater than about 13 mm and less than about 24mm, and most preferably greater than about 14 mm and less than about 23mm. The frontal crown transition overlap length D2, as described in thepresent invention, may generally start at the forwardmost point 1022 ofthe crown portion 1010 and end at the rearwardmost point 1024 of thefrontal crown recess 1023 a at the front of the body portion 1002.

FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectionalview of circular region B shown in FIG. 9 , which reflects an enlargedcross-sectional view of a rear sole junction point between the crownportion 1110 and the body portion 1102. Although this geometry may lookmore complicated at the rear portion of the golf club head due to theadjacent weighting member, the overall concept of the bond here remainsthe same with an overlapping lap joint created via a rear sole recess1123 b in rear of the body portion 1102. Similar to the discussionabove, the thickness of the rear sole recess 1123 b, because it isadapted to receive the same crown portion 1110, is generally less thanabout 1.0 mm, more preferably less than about 0.9 mm, and mostpreferably less than about 0.8 mm. However, in this rear portion of thegolf club head, because of the rear edge is not subjected to as muchimpact stresses at the crown leading edge, the overlap length does notneed to be as lengthy. The rear overlap length D3, in accordance withthe current embodiment of the present invention, may generally be lessthan about 6.5 mm, more preferably less than about 6 mm, and mostpreferably less than about 5 mm. The rear overlap length D3, asdescribed in the present invention, may generally be the differencebetween the rearwardmost point 1128 of the crown portion 1110 and theforwardmost point 1126 of the rear sole recess 1123 b at the rear of thebody portion 1102 taken along the arc, and not just linearly.

In view of the dramatic difference in the crown transition overlaplength D2 and the rear overlap length D3, it can be said that thepresent golf club head has a Ratio of Front to Rear Overlap Length ofabout greater than about 2.0, more preferably greater than about 2.5,and most preferably greater than about 3.0. The Ratio of Front to RearOverlap Length defined by Equation (1) below:

$\begin{matrix}{{{Ratio}{of}{Front}{to}{Rear}{Overlap}{Length}} = \frac{{Crown}{transition}{overlap}{length}D2}{{Rear}{overlap}{length}D3}} & {{Eq}.(1)}\end{matrix}$

FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of thegolf club head 1200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. In this cross-sectional view of the golf club head1200 shown in FIG. 12 , we can see that the distance of the hoselportion recess 1223 c between the crown portion 1210 and the bodyportion 1202 has an hosel overlap length D4 of greater than about 8 mm,more preferably greater than about 9 mm, and most preferably greaterthan about 10 mm. This length D4 is shown to be taken at an angle of 45°offset from the hosel axis, but could be measured from any angle that isbetween 15° to about 75° all without departing from the scope andcontent of the present invention. Moreover, the measurement of length D4above is generally a measurement of the arc length as previouslymentioned, despite it looking like a linear measurement in FIG. 12 .Finally, similar to the discussion above, a separate ratio of Hosel toRear Overlap Length may be established by Equation (2) below, definingthe relationship between the two components.

$\begin{matrix}{{{Ratio}{of}{Hosel}{to}{Rear}{Overlap}{Length}} = \frac{{Hosel}{transition}{overlap}{length}D4}{{Rear}{overlap}{length}D3}} & {{Eq}.(2)}\end{matrix}$

The Hosel to Rear Overlap Ratio Length, in accordance with the presentinvention, may generally be greater than about 1.0, more preferablygreater than about 1.5, and most preferably greater than about 2.0

FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective viewof a golf club head 1300 in accordance with a further alternativeembodiment of the present invention. In this alternative embodiment ofthe present invention shown in FIG. 13 , we can see that the golf clubhead 1300 is still comprised out of two main components, the bodyportion 1302 and the crown portion 1310 similar to previous discussions.However, in this alternative embodiment of the present invention, themetallic body portion 1302 is now formed out of three components, a mainbody chassis 1332, an upper hosel component 1306 and a lower hoselcomponent 1338. The main body chassis 1332 may have an upper hoselopening 1305 and a lower hosel opening 1337, adapted to engage the upperhosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 respectively.The upper hosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 aregenerally formed independently and separately from the main body chassis1332 and could even be formed out of different material to achievedifferent properties in the golf club head 1300 all without departingfrom the scope and content of the present invention.

The upper hosel component 1306 shown in this embodiment of the presentinvention may generally be made out of a lightweight polymer such asKyronmax® S -2212 type of material from Mitsubishi Chemicals for it'slightweight and high strength properties. However, in alternativeembodiments, the upper hosel component may also be made out of stainlesssteel, aluminum, titanium, or even theoretically tungsten all withoutdeparting from the scope and content of the present invention. Makingthe upper hosel component 1306 separately from the main body chassis1332 reduces the machining needs to be done directly to the main bodychassis 1332 and streamlines the manufacturing of this upper hoselcomponent 1306.

The lower hosel component 1338 show in this embodiment of the presentinvention may generally be made out of stainless steel material for itsability to lower and move forward the center of gravity, which is oftena desirable location for the center of gravity of a golf club head 1300.However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the lowerhosel component 1338 may also be made out of aluminum, titanium,tungsten, or even the lightweight Kyronmax® S-2212 material mentionedabove should it be helpful in achieving the desired CG location. Similarto the upper hosel component 1306 discussed above, making the lowerhosel component 1338 separately also reduces the machining needs thatneeds to be done directly to the main body chassis 1332 and streamlinesthe manufacturing of the lower hosel component 1338 as well.

In addition to the benefit in manufacturing indicated above by removingthe upper hosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 fromthe main body chassis 1332 to be formed out of the same componentirrespective of the desired loft or dexterity of the golf club head, andonly the crown portion 1310 and/or the upper hosel component 1306 and/orthe lower hosel component 1338 needs to be changed to accomplish thevariety of golf club heads throughout the entire line. In addition tothe above, in an even further alternative embodiment, the upper hoselcomponent 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 could even engagediffering main body chassis 1332 having different lofts to expand theapplicability of these sub-components to different club heads allwithout departing from the scope and content of the present invention.Finally, more detail regarding golf club heads 1300 having multiplecomponents such as upper hosel component 1306 and lower hosel component1338 could be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/075,642,filed on Dec. 6, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective viewof an upper hosel component 1406 in accordance with a furtheralternative embodiment of the present invention. In this alternativeembodiment of the present invention, the upper hosel component 1406 mayhave one or more hosel ridges 1440 located around an external perimeterof the upper hosel component 1406. The hosel ridges 1440 help improvethe aerodynamics of the golf club head itself in accordance with thepresent invention. The present invention, by making the upper hoselcomponent 1406 out of a separate piece, not only opens up the abilityfor these components to be made out of different materials, reduce thecomplexity of manufacturing, but now also allows fine detailed featuressuch as the hosel ridges 1440 to be manufactured to its exact precisedimensions. Under traditional casting techniques of manufacturing a golfclub head, the exacting precision required for hosel ridges 1440 is hardto achieve. Even if these hosel ridges 1440 are to be added in postcasting via machining techniques, it is hard to achieve the precisionrequired. However, when these components are made separately asindependent pieces they are shown here, they can be either MIM'ed (MetalInjection Molded) or independently machined all without departing fromthe scope and content of the present invention.

The hosel ridges 1440 shown in this embodiment in FIG. 14 may appearexclusively and only near the frontal portion of the upper hoselcomponent 1406 to focus on the most aerodynamic portion of the upperhosel component 1406, which in this case, are two ridges located nearthe heel portion of each of the teeth 1442 used in the adjustable hoselsystem. However, in other embodiments, there could be more hosel ridges1440, less hosel ridges 1440, even hosel ridges 1440 placed at differentlocations, all without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective viewof an upper hosel component 1506 in accordance with an even furtheralternative embodiment of the present invention illustrating the variousnumber and location of the hosel ridges 1540. A closer examination ofthe upper hosel component 1506 shown in FIG. 15 will show that thisembodiment has several additional hosel ridges 1540 than the previousembodiment. More specifically, in this embodiment of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 15 , a total of eight hosel ridges 1540 areused, being spaced in pairs that match the teeth 1442 with each pairbeing equal distance spaced around the perimeter of the upper hoselcomponent 1506.

FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings shows a top-down view of an upperhosel component 1506 previously shown in FIG. 15 , allowing each of theeight hosel ridges 1540 and their location around the upper hoselcomponent 1506 to be shown more clearly. It should be noted that thesehosel ridges 1540 can vary in size, shape, and location, depending onthe aerodynamic needs of the golf club head all without departing fromthe scope and content of the present invention. More informationregarding the specific dimensions of the hosel ridges 1540 can be foundin U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0173349 to Steven S. Ogg, thedisclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 17 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective viewof golf club head 1700 in accordance with another alternative embodimentof the present invention. In this alternative embodiment of the presentinvention, the upper hosel component 1706 may be further formed out oftwo sub-components labeled as an upper hosel component base 1706-a andan upper hosel component tip 1706-b. As a result, the golf club head1700 may be comprised out of a body portion 1702 that has a main bodychassis 1732 having an upper hosel opening 1705 and a lower hoselopening 1737. The upper hosel component 1706 and the lower hoselcomponent 1738 are adapted to engage the upper hosel opening 1705 andthe lower hosel opening 1737 respectively, to completely form the bodyportion 1702. However, it should be noted here that the upper hoselcomponent 1706 shown in this embodiment of the present invention isfurther comprised out of an upper hosel component base 1706-a and anupper hosel component tip 1706-b. Finally, the body portion 1702 isadapted to engage a crown portion 1710 to form the golf club head 1700.The separation of the upper hosel component 1706 into two sub-componentscomprising of the upper hosel component base 1706-a and the upper hoselcomponent tip 1706-b further improves upon the performance of the golfclub head 1700 by allowing more flexibility of material to be used forthe upper hosel component 1706. By making the upper hosel component tip1706-b and its teeth 1442 (shown in FIG. 14 ) as a separate piece fromthe upper hosel component base 1706-a, it allows the upper hoselcomponent base 1706-a to be made from the same lightweight compositematerial as the crown portion 1710 that is also made from a lightweightcomposite material. Having these two components being made from the samematerial helps with the bond between the two components, as they can nowbe formed together without an adhesive. The bonding of the upper hoselcomponent base 1706-a to the upper hosel component tip 1706-b can beachieved via a mechanical lock such as splines or knurling to resistrotation between the upper hosel component base 1706-a and the upperhosel component tip 1706-b in addition to using an adhesive.

The golf club head 1700 shown in this embodiment of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 17 could be preferred as it now allows morediscretionary mass to improve the CG in addition reducing machiningcosts as well as improving the aesthetics of the golf club head 1700.

FIG. 18 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged exploded view ofthe upper hosel component 1706, allowing the locking mechanism to beshown more clearly. FIG. 18 , due to it's enlarged views, allow theanti-rotation features between the upper hosel component base 1706-a andthe upper hosel component tip 1706-b to be show more clearly. Theanti-rotation features further comprise of a plurality of one or moreindents 1742 placed within the recess of the upper hosel component base1706-a configured to engage a plurality of one or more tabs 1744 thatare placed around an external surface of the bottom of the upper hoselcomponent tip 1706-b. The plurality of one or more tabs 1744 aredesigned to engage the plurality of one or more indents 1742 to mainlyprevent rotational movement of the upper hosel component base 1706-a andthe upper hosel component tip 1706-b, as the axial retention forces aregoing to be achieved via the screw at the bottom of the lower hoselcomponent 1738 (shown in FIG. 17 ) and the shaft sleeve (not shown). Inan alternative embodiment of the present invention, the location of theone or more indents 1742 could be placed on the upper hosel componenttip 1706-b while the one or more tabs 1744 could be placed on the upperhosel component base 1706-a, reversing the location of theseanti-rotation features without departing from the scope and content ofthe present invention In even further alternative embodiment of thepresent invention, the indents 1742 and tabs 1744 combination could besplines, knurling, or any other types of anti-rotation mechanism withoutdeparting from the scope and content of the present invention.

In addition to illustrating the internal anti-rotation features of theupper hosel component 1706, this enlarged view of the upper hoselcomponent 1706 also illustrates that the hosel ridges 1740 can spanacross these two separate components to create a base hosel ridge 1740-aand a tip hosel ridge 1740-b without departing from the scope andcontent of the present invention. Alternatively, in some embodiments,the hosel ridges 1740 could be completely removed from the upper hoselcomponent tip 1706-b to achieve similar aerodynamic benefits alsowithout departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings shows the upper hosel component tip1706-b in a different orientation, allowing the tabs 1744 to be shownmore clearly, as the previous views of the upper hosel component tip1706-b conceals the shape of the tabs 1744. In this embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 19 , the upper hosel component tip1706-b comprises of 5 tabs 1744 all biased towards the toe side of thegolf club head. However, it should be noted that in alternativeembodiments of the present invention, the location and exact number oftabs 1744 could vary all without departing from the scope and content ofthe present invention. In one example the number of tabs 1744 could bebiased towards the heel side of the golf club head, or in anotherexample the number of tabs 1744 could be evenly spaced circumferentiallyaround the upper hosel component tip 1706-b both without departing fromthe scope and content of the present invention.

FIG. 20 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective viewof a golf club head 2000 in accordance with an even further alternativeembodiment of the present invention. In this further alternativeembodiment of the present invention, the golf club head 2000 still has abody portion 2002 located near a frontal portion of the golf club head2000 with a crown opening that is adapted to engage a crown portion2010. The body portion 2002 is further formed from a main body chassis2032 that has an upper hosel opening 2005 and a lower hosel opening2037, with the lower hosel opening 2037 adapted to engage a lower hoselcomponent 2038. However, different from prior embodiment of the presentinvention, the golf club head 2000 here does not have an upper hoselcomponent as a separate piece, but rather the upper hosel component 2006is formed together with the crown portion 2010. Forming the upper hoselcomponent 2006 together with the crown portion 2010 provides a seamlessappearance to the entire golf club head 2000 with only slightly moremanufacturing steps. The upper hosel component 2006 in this embodimentmay be MIMed, and subsequently hybrid molded to the crown portion 2010.

It should be noted that most of the embodiments discussed here aims tocreate a releasable hosel hole cover, however, all of these embodimentsmay include glue to make the hosel hole cover stay within the hoselhole, removing the ability to remove the hosel hole cover withoutdeparting from the scope and content of the present invention.

Other than in the operating example, or unless otherwise expresslyspecified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values and percentagessuch as those for amounts of materials, moment of inertias, center ofgravity locations, loft, draft angles, various performance ratios, andothers in the aforementioned portions of the specification may be readas if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may notexpressly appear in the value, amount, or range. Accordingly, unlessindicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in theabove specification and attached claims are approximations that may varydepending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by thepresent invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit theapplication of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims,each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of thenumber of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary roundingtechniques.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forththe broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numericalvalues set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely aspossible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certainerrors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in theirrespective testing measurements. Furthermore, when numerical ranges ofvarying scope are set forth herein, it is contemplated that anycombination of these values inclusive of the recited values may be used.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the present invention and that modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf club head comprising: a body portion further comprising: a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further comprises a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, an upper hosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skirt of said body portion at said recess of said body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf club head, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, and wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, and wherein said first density is less than said second density.
 2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said upper hosel component further comprises one or more hosel ridges located around an external surface of said upper hosel component.
 3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said one or more hosel ridges are located near a frontal portion of said upper hosel component.
 4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said one or more hosel ridges are located at locations that are equal distance around a perimeter of said upper hosel component.
 5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said one or more hosel ridges are exclusively located near a frontal portion of said upper hosel component.
 6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said upper hosel component further comprises; an upper hosel component base, and an upper hosel component tip, wherein said upper hosel component base is formed out of said first material having a first density.
 7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said upper hosel component tip is made from a material having a density higher than said first density.
 8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said upper hosel component base further comprise one or more indents, and wherein said upper hosel component tip further comprises one or more tabs, wherein said one or more tabs are adapted to engage said one or more indents to prevent rotational movement between said upper hosel component base and said upper hosel component tip.
 9. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said upper hosel component base further comprise one or more tabs, and wherein said upper hosel component tip further comprises one or more indents, wherein said one or more tabs are adapted to engage said one or more indents to prevent rotational movement between said upper hosel component base and said upper hosel component tip.
 10. A golf club head comprising: a body portion further comprising; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further comprises a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skit of said body portion at said recess of said body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf club head, wherein said crown portion further comprises an upper hosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, and wherein said first density is less than said second density.
 11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein said upper hosel component further comprises one or more hosel ridges located around an external surface of said upper hosel component.
 12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said one or more hosel ridges are located near a frontal portion of said upper hosel component.
 13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said one or more hosel ridges are located at locations that are equal distance around a perimeter of said upper hosel component.
 14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said one or more hosel ridges are exclusively located near a frontal portion of said upper hosel component.
 15. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein a forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane.
 16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein said forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 16.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane.
 17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 15.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane.
 18. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein said crown portion is made from a material having a density of less than about 2.0 g/cc.
 19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein said body portion is made from a material having a density of about 4.5 g/cc.
 20. A golf club head comprising: a body portion further comprising; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further comprises a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skit of said body portion at said recess of said body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf club head, wherein said crown portion further comprises an upper hosel portion adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, wherein said first density is less than said second density, and wherein a forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane. 